Beautiful Gong Shim began as a drama with infinite promise in the rom-com area. The two main characters are quirky and at first glance, you just expect a cute little romance that you can enjoy without much thought. I'll also point out that the first few episodes included some of the most ridiculously funny moments I've ever experienced in any drama, so my expectations were incredibly high as the rest of the episodes came out.
A little past halfway through it, though, the plot tried way too hard to be serious and suspenseful, thus losing its initial humorous merits. The feeling is somewhat like listening to your grandparents tell stories: at first, you're pretty interested, but it quickly gets boring, yet you feel an obligation to sit there until the very last word. I stopped finding things to laugh at. The romantic moments were less rewarding in the midst of the mess of the conspiracy plot the writers drew up for no apparent reason. The characters deteriorated and lost every trait that made them unique.
If there were one redeeming aspect of this drama, I'd have to say that it's Nam Goong Min. Usually a professional in depicting a psycho serial killer in other dramas, this time he's the lead male with a fair amount of goofballness. He was a joy to watch, but his character was not spared in the enormous *let's-make-everyone-generic* massacre. Everyone else fulfilled their roles nicely, but Goong Min's really the star of this show. (Which is interesting, as I thought the directors would give Minah more of a spotlight but she really dropped off the radar late into the drama. I could say less of the wig they made her wear though.)
The music was fun; there were multiple tracks that cheered me up along the way and altogether, they were nice to listen to.
In general, I'd recommend watching maybe the first ten episodes, if not less. The beginning is worth watching, as it puts a smile on your face pretty frequently. It's just the second half that becomes appallingly boring (trust me, you probably wouldn't even miss anything if you skipped straight to the last episode as soon as the story even starts to drag).
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10/10 EVERYTHING!!
This drama mainly focuses on the aspect of a broken relationship of a mother and it's child after the loss of their husband/father, and its healing journey. it has many emotional scenes as well as uplifting and bubbly comedy that is well executed. I liked the touched-on romance in this drama as well, as it's not really shoved in your face. ALSO TO MENTION!! the revenge plot was just SO GOOD!! it made sure every person got what they deserved!the whole drama is amazing!! this drama is a pure example of how talented lee dohyun is, his character is very broad in this drama from acting as a student to a professional cold-hearted prosecutor to then a 7-year-old, is just so good. The relationship between the son and mother is so pure and emotional, and the wholesome atmosphere of the neighborhood makes you feel as if you’re part of their family. everything was so well made and shown!!! every cast member did amazing!!
if I could I would 100% watch this drama again if I had no recollection of it.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Stupid Plan
*sigh* I don't know why I was hoping this would be a decent drama given that MAME is the writer. I will give her credit that she is good at creating stories that are surface level attractive, that being said, don't try to go any deeper or you'll be sorely disappointed. Wedding Plan is no exception. It's filled with attractive actors/actresses, decent music, lovely camerawork/visuals, and beautiful sets and costuming, but the characters themselves are lacking as is the plot. A good portion of the story hinges on unnecessary drama and while the initial concept isn't bad, it quickly comes crashing down.The story centers around Namnuea, a wedding planner, and his client, groom Sailom. Nuea is supposed to be planning Lom's wedding to Yiwa, but there's a catch; neither Lom nor Yiwa is straight. The "plan" is for the two of them to get married so that Yiwa can be with her girlfriend, Marine, and get away from her conservative family. She and Lom have been friends for over a decade so he agrees to this arrangement. But having seen Nuea at a friend's wedding, Lom falls in love at first sight and decides to pursue him. Now I had zero issues with Yiwa and Lom's plan. I can certainly sympathize with their situation and how they didn't see another way out. They both had conservative families who wouldn't accept their sexuality and were forced to do something extreme to escape and gain their freedom. That was all fine and dandy. Lom's plan, however, was incredibly stupid and was the one that caused all the issues, because he starts to pursue Nuea without telling him about his and Yiwa's arrangement. And Nuea has pretty much fallen for him at first sight so Nuea is put into the situation of trying to hide his feelings initially and then once Lom starts actively pursuing him, fight those feelings. It's incredibly unfair to him because a brief conversation with Lom explaining things would have cleared everything up. But then this drama would be 3 or 4 episodes instead of 7. So instead, this situation gets dragged out with Nuea feeling more and more guilty and anxious as Lom continues to pursue him, almost forcing himself on him at times, until Nuea finally gives into his feelings. I truly feel bad for Nuea because Lom forced him into a corner, physically and morally. Nuea doesn't know that Lom isn't actually taken, so naturally, he feels incredibly guilty that he has, in his mind, cheated with the groom. He runs home, Lom follows and they eventually get everything worked out. The wedding moves ahead as planned until on their wedding day when it turns out Yiwa has eloped with Marine and left the country. Not only does this give her and Marine the freedom to be together and get married, but it also allows Lom to slowly bring his relationship with Nuea out into the open. I also didn't have an issue with Yiwa's plan here because while I know some people think it's unfair that she shouldered all the blame and Lom got away scot-free, that was her intention. So the fact that she planned it that way and that's what she wanted, I was fine with it. Honestly, typing this out, it sounds more interesting than it actually was.
Besides the stupidity of Lom's plan, there are a myriad of other issues here. There are plenty of unnecessary scenes that affect the pacing and make it drag. A prime example was all the wakeboarding scenes towards the beginning. Did it look cool? Yes. Was it necessary? No. Those scenes could have been significantly cut down and absolutely nothing would have been lost. The repetitive scenes of Nuea moping and his boss and co-workers trying to eke out of him what was going on could also have been cut. And that after credit scene with Lom and Nuea as children was equally unnecessary. I was afraid they were going to pull something like that where they actually met as children when Lom commented he thought he'd been there as a kid, but was hoping they wouldn't do it because it's just so cliche. Unfortunately, they did and aside from being sort of cute, it served absolutely no purpose. There were more, but I'll stick with those couple. Similarly a lot of the dialogue was repetitive and did nothing to move the plot along. And while the moms could be entertaining, particularly with the music that played whenever they entered, the fight between them at the wedding went on far longer than was necessary. And speaking of the wedding, weren't there supposed to be like 600 people? I mean, I understand logistically with filming that simply wasn't possible, but it didn't look like there were even 100 people there and there were ways they could have been consistent without actually having 600 people on set. And while I don't find fault with Lom and Yiwa's plan to get married in and of itself, the logistics of it did not seem well thought out for the long run. What exactly were they going to do when their mothers wanted grandkids? How did they plan to keep their lives separate while also being married to each other? Living in the same building made things easier, but if one of their mothers decided to drop by unannounced as happened with Yiwa's mother, that had the potential to cause issues. Frankly, I think the strain of carrying on such a farce would have eventually led to trouble in their respective relationships. Their plan would have solved one problem, but caused numerous others. As a final note here, I also didn't appreciate the way they tried to use repetitive shots of a half naked Lom as a way to distract from the lack of plot. I hate when dramas do that, it's so cheap, and while the man is attractive, I'd rather have a cohesive and entertaining plot. But that's just me.
I did enjoy getting to see Payu, Rain, Prapai and Sky of Love in the Air again. While I thought Prapai and Sky speaking English at their wedding was odd, it was still a sweet moment and Payu's proposal to Rain was beautifully done. Their appearance in particular made it believable that time had passed since the drama which I appreciated, but they were also still very much themselves.
Besides the plot and writing being less than great, the characters, similarly, were nothing special.
-Lom, while not necessarily toxic, was at best an idiot and at worst a total ass. My biggest problem with him was his decision to remain silent and all the damage he did by doing so. By pursuing Nuea while still planning a wedding with Yiwa, he put Nuea in a moral dilemma which was incredibly cruel and unfair to him. I still do not fully understand why he didn't tell Nuea from the get go. I could understand potentially being afraid of coming out to someone when he'd kept it such a secret, but considering the fact that he made it very clear that he wanted Nuea, I don't understand his reticence in telling him what was going on. It was ironic that he was friends with Love in the Air's Prapai because he reminded me of him to some degree with his stalking of Nuea, manipulation, and deception. On the flip side, he could also be incredibly caring and sweet. I did believe he loved Nuea, I just didn't care for the way he went about it.
-Nuea was supposed to be this very put together wedding planner who excelled at his job and yet his lack of professionalism when dealing with Lom didn't give me that impression. I work in customer service, I understand clients getting under your skin and irritating the crap out of you. However, I have never lost my composure with them and gone off on any of them, no matter how tempting. Nuea had to have faced challenging clients before, so the fact that he lost his cool so easily seemed weird to me. And while I can't justify his actions with Lom, I can understand them. I felt his struggle regarding his feelings for Lom were relatable and human. He actively tries to resist, he even reminds Lom that he's getting married, but he does eventually cave. It's not right, but again, I could understand how he reached that point because resisting someone who's pursuing you that hard has to be incredibly difficult. He could have done more to separate himself from the situation and I do feel like he put himself in the path of temptation, but I appreciated he realized his mistake and owned up to it and then worked to make sure it wouldn't happen again until Lom finally explained everything to him.
-Yiwa and Marine were our girl couple and while I found them to be kind of sweet, I didn't find them to be particularly interesting which was disappointing because I felt they could have been utilized much better. Despite the fact that their relationship was given some background, they still felt fairly shallow and a lot of their interactions felt repetitive. Marine came across as sweet and empathetic, however, she was also a bit bland. She lacked energy and she seemed very hesitant when Yiwa initiated any kind of physical intimacy which was odd since they were supposed to have been together for 2ish years. Yiwa was the more outgoing and bubbly of the two. I liked her personality and I liked her friendship with Lom. They definitely gave a brother/sister vibe. I also appreciated the conundrum she was facing with wanting to try to balance her familial obligations while remaining true to herself. I thought it was incredibly gracious and brave of her to take the brunt of the backlash regarding her and Lom's failed wedding. And I was glad that she and Marine got their happily ever after.
-I liked Nuea's family. They were all so incredibly supportive of him and their protectiveness of him was equal parts amusing and endearing depending on the situation.
The acting was tolerable but nothing special. Sunny and Pak weren't consistent with their chemistry. Sometimes I felt it, other times it was lacking. Both felt pretty green which was understandable considering their lack of experience. Pak seemed more versatile, his expressions and actions were more varied. Sunny's acting lacked that extra nuance. Aya and Kate really seemed to struggle with their chemistry. Kate in particular just seemed uncomfortable when they were kissing and it made it hard to believe they were an established couple. Individually I found Aya more interesting to watch. There was a sameness to her expressions, but she brought more energy. Kate lacked that energy and seemed a little too reserved and perfect. I felt like she could have done more with the character, but given this was her first acting role, she wasn't awful.
The production value is excellent. The camerawork, the lighting, the sets, etc. were all high quality and very well done. I loved the costumes. I particularly liked how each character had their own distinct style that was maintained throughout the drama. The music was also pretty good, but not particularly memorable.
I ultimately found myself disappointed in Wedding Plan. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular, but I hoped it would at least be a fun and fluffy diversion. Instead we got MAME's trademark of a lack in communication causing more issues than were necessary which lead to more drama/angst and less fluff. So, if you're looking for an actual plot and decent characters, I would skip this one, you won't be missing much. But if your cup of tea is some steamy scenes and attractive, shirtless men, you might enjoy this.
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This is what all kdramas should aspire to be
My biggest issue with Kdramas is that they tend to get complicated for the sake of being complicated and there's a lot of them that are like that. This one, is not one of them.Is the story original? No. Does it have to be? No. You get what you expect when you read the synopsis and everything stays in its lane which is very, VERY rare for a Kdrama. You expect a medical, bromance drama with a touch of supernatural and that's exactly what you get. There's a bit of romance but it only adds a bit of flare to the characters and story and it stays in its lane and does not take over which I find that WAY to many does, which is why I tend to stay away from anything that hints about romance in the synopsis.
The story ties itself up nicely and there's pretty much only one thing that I felt was a bit left out, a character that leaves in the early, middle-ish part of the story. I felt like he should've been there to tie some things up but never shows up again. Though it is possible that the character added some character development to the main characters that wouldn't have happened otherwise that I never realised. This is only a minor detail though.
Now the acting was great as usual. Rain and Kim Bum did great as the main characters and their chemistry with each other made the show. I've seen a lot of people complain about Uee and saying that they don't like her acting. I haven't seen her in anything else so I can't speak of her other stuff but here I thought she was fine, so I'm just gonna put that complaining to the usual hate I see pretty much every female lead/actress get because they are the female lead and the male lead is "so hot" and can't do anything wrong.
I also saw some stuff about Son Na Euns character. Not really anything about her acting but rather that her character didn't feel like main, which I kind of agree with. Amongst the "mains" she had the least impact on the show but she definitely was an important support character and I don't agree with the comments that the character is useless and doesn't do anything.
Of course we can't forget about the veterans such as Sung Dong Il and Tae In Ho which you'll see in like every other drama, doing what they do best as usual.
The music is not bad, just that the last couple of dramas I've seen has had amazing soundtrack and these ones didn't really hit me in the same way.
All in all, It's been awhile since I've followed a Kdrama from start to finish without any breaks which in my opinion speaks for itself. This is a great watch, that all I can say.
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Going further, what makes this drama so engaging is that it puts the human emotions and experience of betrayal, vengeance, love, family, friendship, and money into a universal context that possibly anyone can relate to. First and foremost is the betrayal. You may have experienced in life when you felt betrayed by the very people/person who trust and admire...simply being used up and tossed aside like trash...one can't help but feel betrayed thus leading one into seeking vengeance for the pain that one has experienced...it is only justice, right? "Eye for an eye", as the saying goes...they made you suffer, you've experienced emotional pain, now they will get a taste of their own medicine...there's an interesting double karma that occurs in this drama that really makes you think, "Could there have been a better course of actions?"...
Along the way in one's vendetta, you meet people or someone who brings love and friendship into your life...your heart wavers because you begin to fall in love with this person...what will you do, when your heart betrays you as well? Will you give up your vengeance for this person?...seems like a very plausible thing to do and just forget about everything while you're still trying to complete your master plan...will falling in love mess you up?
Family is also important as well, as your action may consequently affect everyone in it...as well as those who are connected to your family...however, what if your family hides a dark secret, will it still justify for your actions and vengeance? Often in the scheme for power, it is really about about the money, the Benjamins...as greed is quite an over-powering human desire for more of everything in life...after all, money is what makes the world go round, right?...I think...well not really in my opinion but nonetheless we need it in order to survive in our current societies.
If you're not into those sappy and sad dramas...this one will be a treat for you...it's a thriller filled with twist and turns and I think blends very well with the love plot between the individuals who create a love triangle that's rather interesting to watch and see it unfold.
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1This review may contain spoilers
A very Chinese-flavour drama with eastern phylosophical ideas
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS -This post is part of a trilogy where I analyse only the cultural and historical artistic aspects, as well as two Eastern philosophical perspectives with strong presence in the drama, without tackling other elements such as wuxia themes, Confucianism, sci-fi inspiration, and so on. The links to the complete three-acts review with images are in the comments.
By accident when adding this part, I erased the previous review :
NOTE: Although the story is remarkable, the execution and direction has flaws that impact the overall result, so the final score is a balance between the outstanding aspects of the drama rarely seen in any kind of drama or serie (that gives the extra points to reach the 8) with its flaws. Luo Yun Xi and Jeremy Tsu - outstanding.acting
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As we enter this THIRD and last ACT about Buddhism, the framework that gives structure to the whole story, it felt fitting to bring the classical theatre resource where a character steps in at the beginning to set the scene and offer context. Honouring that tradition, I’ll quote the answer that Mo’at gives to Jake Sully in the movie Avatar when he asks the Na’vi people to teach him their worldview and wisdom: “It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.”
This phrase didn’t just pop into my mind by chance. Buddhism is a philosophy and religion completely different from Western conceptions and beliefs, and since it sits at the heart of Shui Long Yin’s narrative, I tried my best to do justice to its principles. Although I kept things as concise as I could, this time you’ll need to be extra forgiving with me.
As actor Luo Yun Xi said himself (see ACT 2), Tang Li Ci seeks enlightenment. Let’s embark together on that search and see whether he attained what he was looking for, or if , at the very least, the journey was worthy.
Buddhism, the general framework
“All things are impermanent; they arise and they pass away.”
While Daoism is about finding harmony with the Dao, Buddhism is a path of understanding meant to transcend this world and the suffering inherent in it. It originated in India around the 5th century BC with Siddhartha Gautama who, after attaining enlightenment, became known as Buddha, or “the awakened one.”
The foundation rests on the Four Noble Truths:
1) Life contains suffering
2) Suffering has a cause (craving and attachment)
3) There is an end to suffering (nirvana and enlightment)
4) There is a path to end suffering
(NOTE 1 - Masters Puzhu and Fang Zhou // Although there is one “internal” path to end suffering, there are two “external” ways to walk that path. Puzhu represents the Buddhist archetype of the hermit who isolates himself from humanity and external distractions to walk the path. Fang Zhou represents the Buddhist archetype of the master who actively involves himself in worldly affairs with compassion.)
The ultimate goal is to wake up from the "dream" of cyclic existence, the Samsara, realising the true nature of reality. This is achieved by understanding and internalising several key principles:
Impermanence: All conditioned things are in a constant state of change.
Karma: The law of cause and effect, where intentional actions shape future experiences.
No-Self : The perception of a fixed, independent "I" is an illusion.
Nirvana: The unconditioned state, the cessation of suffering and the end of the cycle of rebirth, achieved by disolving all harmtful states of minds
So, let´s walk this path through Shui Long Yin together.
Impermanence: life as a dream or the stage of a play // “All phenomena are like dreams” - Heart Sutra
Some of the comments regarding the ending of Shui Long Yin revolve around the idea that everything Tang Li Ci did seems meaningless because no one remembers he existed. Even worse, not only are all the bad omens now living good lives, but TLC has never even existed. Was the whole drama, and all the time and emotions invested by viewers, pointless?
In the drama, Tang Li Ci voices a similar distressed question during his dream coma, and Fang Zhou’s answer guides not only him, but us, along the Buddhist path...and might add, the drama.
(NOTE 2 - Zhoudi Tower // In the dream, Tang Li Ci is disheartened and defeated because Yique YingYang is already back after ten years, and he feels that all the deaths and efforts back then were meaningless. Fang Zhou, a Buddhist teacher answers: “Even if YQYY is alive, are all the people who were able to live and enjoy life during those ten years not worthy of that?” … “In this world, not a second of effort is wasted.”)
By this point, we already know there are three stories: the original timeline, where Ye Mo kills Tang Li Ci only to realise that without emotions the Holy Son isn’t perfect and can’t achieve immortality; the second timeline, the one the drama actually follows; and the third one, the new life we glimpse at the end, where Tang Li Ci is no longer explicitly present nor ever existed.
So? Which one is real? The first one we never saw? The second one we grew attached to? The final one we only catch a glimpse of? Buddhism states that just as our dream experiences are mere appearances of the mind, so too are beings, their environments, their pleasures, and all other phenomena. The strong theatre-stage effect of the drama (ACT 1) seems to work like a visual metaphor of this.
(NOTE 3 - Tang Li Ci’s dream in Zhoudi Tower // From a Buddhist perspective, this dream and Tang Li Ci’s confusion about what was real bring up the topic of phenomena as mere appearances of the mind.
This doesn’t mean those phenomena don’t exist; it means they don’t exist on their own, only in relation to the mind. We believe the only “real” timeline in the drama is the one we just experienced because we formed a connection with it. The others feel unreal because we didn’t immerse ourselves in them, even though, at the back of our mind, we understand they existed too - but only from the moment we are introduced to them, not before.
We can see this idea represented in different moments and ways throughout the drama, through both cinematic and narrative resources: the contrast between chaos and fighting versus the calm, quiet tea scene in the Buddhist temple at the beginning; the reality in which Liu Yan lived all those years, where Tang Li Ci is a murderer and the most despicable being, versus Chi Yun believing the marks of Yique YingYang are beautiful and enhance Tang Li Ci’s attractiveness.
(NOTE 4 - All phenomena are like dreams // The quiet calm of a tea ritual and a baby sleeping at a lakeshore versus the chaos and action-packed fighting in the temple’s front yard.)
(NOTE 5 - Matrix (1999) – iconic sci-fi movie directed by the Wachowski sisters // The best way to explain it is this movie
2. Karma, suffering, and samsara: Even things aren´t “real”, we still suffer...Why? How? // “If you know your own mind and develop it, you will become a Buddha; do not seek Buddhahood outside yourself”
Every sentient being wants to be happy and avoid suffering. We tend to think that the causes of happiness or pain are external, but Buddhism states they actually lie within our own mind.
The mind isn’t a material object or a by-product of physical processes; it’s an immaterial and continuous entity, different from the body. Every action we take leaves an imprint or potential on our very subtle mind, and in time, its corresponding effect will arise. Virtuous actions bring happiness; harmful actions bring suffering. This is the law of karma, and it affects all lives, constantly.
At the beginning of Whispers of Fate, Tang Li Ci already has a partial understanding of these ideas taught by his master, Fang Zhou, and he reflects with the monk on intention and karma. When he decides to enter the jianghu, he is, without realising it, following Fang Zhou’s path to end suffering through the worldly-affairs way. At that point, his obsession and his merely intellectual grasp of these concepts and teachings prevent him from truly embracing them, as he still doesn’t fully understand what that way means or how it works.
(NOTE 6 - Tang Li Ci speaking with the Buddhist monk about intention, karma, and suffering. By entering the jianghu, he will come to learn and understand human emotions (hate, fear, love, obsession) and the deeper meaning of things, just as Fang Zhou told him many times.)
So, the world itself is the result of karma — the actions of the sentient beings who live in it. A pure world is the result of pure actions, and an impure world is the result of impure actions. Since all actions are created by the mind, all things, including the world, are created by the mind as well.
(NOTE 7 - Impermanence, karma, samsara // Every relationship and every character is shaped by karma and samsara. Hatred turns someone into an inherently bad person; attachment turns an object into something inherently pleasant and capable of making them truly happy. All mental afflictions work like this: they color reality with their own bias, and we end up responding not to what things truly are, but to the distorted version of them.)
While the body disappears at death, the mind - now called the very subtle mind, and without the memories of that life - continues to exist. Depending on the karma that grows, we reincarnate into a fortunate form (human or god) or an unfortunate one. We can’t choose; karma rules. This uninterrupted cycle of death and rebirth, without any freedom to choose, is called samsara.
3. The Path to Liberation from Suffering, and Enlightenment // “Samsara is like a wheel that turns through the force of contaminated actions performed by mental afflictions”
Mental afflictions such as attachment, hate, malice, jealousy, greed, and delusion are to the mind like clouds to the sky: bad habits that can be eradicated because they are not the sky itself. They are distorted perceptions that cling to things as if they had inherent or independent existence.
In the drama, this idea of clarity as the true nature of the mind is highlighted by Fang Zhou’s teaching: “Every person is born good” — which is also shared by Confucianism, by the way.
The strongest ignorance is the intuitive feeling that we possess a real and objective self that exists independently of other phenomena or things: the ignorance of self-grasping. Because we esteem ourselves so intensely, we feel attracted to objects and people that seem appealing, we desire to separate from those we dislike, and we feel indifference toward the rest. Therefore, attachment, hatred, and indifference arise. I’m sure you’ve already pictured countless examples from the drama while reading this.
Attention should focus on creating mental states that bring real happiness (love, patience, generosity) and also on letting go of mental afflictions completely by addressing their root: the mind’s tendency to cling to a fixed self. By tackling the causes of suffering within, external ones like illness or death lose their power to disturb us. This lasting freedom from mental afflictions and suffering is what Buddhism calls liberation, or nirvana. In other words, this is the path to truly freeing oneself from suffering.
There’s a sequence in Episode 2 that sums up everything above, so I’ll simply replay the dialogue, presented as a voice-over during the scene when Tang Li Ci is leaving the temple:
Tang Li Ci: “Masters and servants can turn on each other for money; brothers can betray and kill each other. In the end, the heart is the hardest to see through. Demons are everywhere.”
Monk: “Amitabha. Right and wrong, good and evil, they are just a thought apart. What you can’t let go is obsession. You’re very wise. You go through the sea of suffering by yourself. I believe you’ll eventually reach the other shore.”
** Some translation don't address the specific term "sea of suffering" but instead go for "salvation lies in your own hands". Although the essential meaning is the same, the second avoid the específico and direct reference to Buddhism - a bad take in my opinion as it's about Buddhist beliefs.
(NOTE 8) The path to liberation from suffering – The journey and the destination // From attachment to life, to the past, and to Fang Zhou, to loving new people and appreciating the human world and its beings, and ultimately managing to let go.
It’s worth noticing that, despite the different levels of wisdom each character had reached before the time reversal, almost all the villains’ endings carry a note of compassion. You might have thought “finally!”, but there certainly wasn’t a sense of “hate” or “I’ll wish you eons of suffering” left floating in the air.
Liberating only oneself from suffering isn’t the highest aim on the Buddhist path. Beyond wisdom, it’s kindness and love for others that form the true foundation for helping all beings reach the same state. Those who seek enlightenment do so guided by the mind of Bodhichitta: a mind that, moved by deep compassion, naturally wants to awaken in order to help all sentient beings directly.
The Buddhas are those beings that, having completely removed all traces of ignorance from their minds, have freed themselves from the dream of samsara and attained omniscient wisdom, along with the limitless ability to help others.
And with this understanding in mind, I hope you can find more meanings to the ones you´ve already found in Whispers of Fate. As for my part, the analysis of this trilogy has now come to an end.
** Epilogue (closing and ending notes) ** - I´ve link the three parts completed with images in the comments to a better review
Whispers of Fate is a drama about loss, grief, and attachments; but at its core, it’s a story that reflects on and questions what it means to be human from a very Chinese perspective, rooted in China’s history while staying in tune with its present. We see that search in every character, although I want to highlight three.
Nothing in this world is perfect, and neither is this drama. It’s a complex and ambitious project with a distinctive Chinese flavour that can look ordinary and simple on the surface, yet be slow and fast-paced, common and uncommon, all at once. And when we bring in our Western viewpoint, shaped by a Judeo-Christian background or even a modern secular mindset, we really do need to empty our cups first.
For me, the beauty of Whispers of Fate lies in its distinctive Chinese aesthetics, but also in the way it blends Eastern philosophies into its storytelling. In a way, the original title “Shui Long Yin” and its literal translation “Water Dragon Chant” is the most fitting, as the whole approach of the drama reminds me of those apparently simple tales and legends through which ancient cultures and societies explained the world, what it means to be human and why we are here.
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First i have to say to everyone who don't want to watch it because of the 100+ episodes, just watch it ! Each episode lasts 30min so it's really fast. But i have to admit that i watched this drama in one year ! Why ? Just because it's the type of drama you want to watch when you need to laugh, don't have a lot of time ( for exemple during exam ) and you need some fresh air. Every episode have a different story but it has a link and every charachter has his "highligh" moment. This drama made me laugh ( like reaaaaally ), cry, had goosehumps ! I loved every single charachter and i am very sad to say goodbye, but well after a year it was time i think :)
Anyway, I have so much more to say about it but i am just gonna say : watch it, it totally worth it
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This is not what you think it is!
This drama is not what you think it is. Is it a taboo romance between a student and teacher that, if real, would be unacceptable in every possible way? Absolutely yes. But, again, this drama is not what you think it is.In the first 5 eps, we are set up to believe that the story is nothing more than an icky romance. In episode 6, your jaw will drop, as the plot takes a total twist and the story becomes so much more. This story is part thriller, mystery, and melodrama.
The main leads have sizzling chemistry and both are sympathetic characters. At first, the ML is beyond insufferable, but if you give it a couple episodes, you'll see a big transformation in his behavior.
This is a series where the second half is way better than the first half. Don't stop after the first episode.
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In the beginning, I was totally annoyed by Anna's personality. She was just some high society lady, never satisfied with anything, always greedy. Oh Yoo was friendlier and more sympatic. But as the story continued, I noticed how special Anna is.
You may think she is just like all those spoiled young women that appear in a lot of shows and Anna really is. But somehow she has grown dear to me. I can't really say why. Her character developes during this Drama, but still she is very unfriendly to everyone. She experienced so much already, so she can't change this much anymore.
After completeing the Drama, I'm really missing the Anna who was always yelling and complaining. Just like Chul Soo's love to her my affection to her also grew. I just love the way she developed but still remained the same.
Even thought Anna was the main character and carried nearly all of the story by herself, the side stories were very amusing as well. They made me laugh several times, but still they fit in well since they had some dramatical scenes as well. I was disapointed because there were one or two scenes where the comedy part didn't quite fit.
Over all I think the comedy and drama parts were well timed and well balanced.
The music was also fitting very well, I seldomly enjoy an OST this much. I'm even listening to it at the moment (:
Overall I'd highly recommend this Drama. I'm sure it won't fit everyones taste, but to me it seemed very well balanced, except some scenes of a side story. Still I liked the whole cast, especially Anna and Kang Ja (her friend). The main story was enjoyable, so I'm considering watching the original movie, even thought I'm afraid that it might be a bit disappointing...
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Drama Special Season 4: My Friend Is Still Alive
31 people found this review helpful
Kikwang plays the role of a leukaemia patient extremely well and the love between both best friends was evident.
Since it was only one episode long, there were some parts of the story that were underdeveloped but yet, I still enjoyed and I still loved it.
I would definitely recommend, besides, it's only an hour of your time. Why don't you take a watch and see for yourself?
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the better Thai BLs I've seen in more than a year!
Despite all the negative comments I read here on MDL, I really liked this one and am going to miss it. Here are my pros and cons:PROS
STORY. Yes, that's right. Sure, there were some moments that suspended belief, but what Thai BL doesn't have those? For the most part, I found this compelling. And, contrary to so many BLs, it actually HAD a story (yes, I'm looking at you, Bad Buddy). Even better, everything was wrapped up in the end, and with no cliffhangers.
ACTING. I really had no issues with the acting. Nat was great as the villain, as was Perth as his conflicted son. Phuwin played his lead role respectably, with some really good moments here and there. Pond was pretty good, as was Chimon (in a part that gave him little to do). And Pawin was delicious as the conniving and underhanded Phum.
OST SONGS. Phuwin has a beautiful voice and I loved his OST. Pond singing was surprisingly pleasant and I enjoyed his OST, played in the ending credits. (As for the rest of the music... what was up with all those misplaced Christmas carols? And that hideous cowboy song??)
CHEMISTRY. Palm was so adorably sweet and protective with Neung. And they weren't afraid to kiss with some passion.
CONS
"ELDERLY" PEOPLE. That dance class for the elderly! The oldest person I saw looked to be maybe 45. What's the life expectancy in Thailand, 48?
"JUST SHOOT ME!" It was either Episode 10 or 11 (I forgot) where three or four of the characters (separately) got themselves in a situation where they felt compelled to scream out "Shoot me! Go ahead, shoot me!" A bit silly.
THE NOTES AND LEAVING. It was annoying enough with Neung did it. It was downright ridiculous when Palm returned the favor in the finale.
Still, none of those were dealbreakers for me. I'm giving it a 9.0.
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One, I loved the message that the drama brings to the table, which I elaborate on further below.
And Two, it was fun to see some leading jdrama actors (Oguri Shun, Narimiya Hiroki, Yamapi, and Ninomiya) before they hit their peaks of popularity.
STORY-
The drama is about a group of 4 high school friends and all the crazy things that they get into in the process of losing their virginity.
They also reunite with their childhood friend Chie (Suzuki Anne), who seems to have her own reasons for coming back into their neighborhood.
The story is written well, with a perfect balance of comedy and touching moments between friends and family. The plot twists are interesting and I was quite invested in the characters. I usually hate love triangles with a passion, but this drama managed to do a believable and sweet love triangle that I actually connected with emotionally.
At its heart, STAND UP! is a coming of age drama with a focus on sex and friendship.
ACTING/CAST-
Great acting all across the board. Tons of character development and fun minor characters.
Ninomiya really impressed me with his portrayal of Sho: he played insecure, naive, and adorkable very well
Also, Suzuki Anne took the Chie's character and made her into a sweet and endearing female lead.
MUSIC-
Pretty decent soundtrack featuring Arashi.
LAST THOUGHTS-
Though this is a teen sex comedy, there is a good amount of character development, so it's worthwhile to watch. There are also positive messages throughout the drama which reinforce that love is more better than sex. And not to fall into peer pressures. And that sex has consequences. And friends are awesome!
One of my favorite j dramas for its laughs and for its heart.
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The Most Audacious Pair of Assassins!!!
It is exceptionally rare for me to begin a review with who I think literally steals this series from everyone. There is only one reason to watch this series. And that is because this story has Style. Style gave this series distinction. He IS the series and the only reason I finished this rather mundane and pedestrian story. Dunk Natachai as the character of Style brought such uniqueness to his persona from the beginning. Layered with arrogance, shallowness, pomposity and yet underlying it all was still a sense of sincerity. I could observe that he began his pursuit of Fadel (Joong Archen) simply as a challenge in the beginning. But once he undertook to know who Fadel was, he fell for him, hard and began to peel away at his exterior gruff layers, much like you peel an onion. As he did so with Fadel, he also peeled away at his own layers of shallowness surrounding himself. As he got Fadel to open his soul to him, he too did the same. With Dunk’s characterization however, I could sense and feel it deeply. His facial features and the way he looked at Fadel were not just about acting. It felt real. And oh, his love scenes with Fadel were not just fervently romantic; they were simply hot, erotic, and alluring. It has been ages, especially for a Thail BL, for me to actually feel a sensuousness emanating from an individual. He exuded it. Not only in words but in his expressions and his actions. It has also been a long time since I have been able to use the outdated term ‘it factor’ but he has it. He is the whole package. I never once felt as if he was faking it or ‘acting’ it out. He was genuine, sincere, even when he was being perhaps impish and immature in his approach to winning Fadel over. Deep-down, he projected such passion and intensity that he is the only Thai BL actor in an inordinate length of time that felt authentic. When he kissed, it looked sensual, seductive, and steamy. Excuse my vernacular, but his actions were hedonic, and his scenes made him tantalizingly erotic. Not afraid or ashamed to show it or be it. Something that has been missing in Thai BLs. He is an exceptional actor as he made it look so nature and unguarded. What a performance and kudos for making it feel so damn genuine.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/03/08/the-heart-killers-series-review-ep-1-to-12/
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A chance meeting between a two men. One, a young man passing through who has an accident on his bike, the other a slightly older man working on his family's farm.
The two have instant chemistry and spend an idyllic summers day together. Lovely cinematography and development of the story in such a short time.
If you like this one - i also enjoyed "Long time no see" by the same production company - they have a few other Korean based LGBT films on offer via their vimeo account.
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This review may contain spoilers
I feel like they could have done more with the characters and paced the story better.
There were parts that were compelling and gripping, and then parts where the plot dragged like crazy and I could only get through it at 1.5x speed, especially the middle. I think they spent too much time on the townspeople gossiping about Samdal and Yongpil when they had their own lives to live. I also felt like Yongpil's dad coming around was too sudden and we should have seen a gradual change start several episodes earlier. I also think the downfall of the villain was too brief for the grief she caused. Overall I feel mixed about it. I think this story could have been told and been better in 10 eps max. My favorite character is probably the little girl. She was too cute for words but was also the voice of reason a lot. I don't think I'd recommend this for most, there's better and there's worse.Was this review helpful to you?
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